New materials to make suppressor cans from

[Mongo]

I talked with a C2 here locally that is a ok gunsmith but not an engineer nor does he have a lot of experience making suppressors.

He had purchased some carbon fiber tubing to use as the outside housing of some suppressors (some up to .50 BMG). When I asked how he intended to keep the end caps on he stated he would just thread them.

I as an mechanical engineer, with some materials knowledge, warned him that threading carbon tube was not smart/safe since when the threads are cut you are cutting across the fiber strands that give the carbon tube its strength. I suggested using a compression type of design with either an internal tube (not unlike the older volume style suppressors) or some sort of connecting rods between the end caps. He was pretty infactic that carbon fiber is stronger than steel (not true unless you do it on a weight basis, not volume). I also went on to tell him that carbon fiber will fail suddenly and catostrophically unlike steel and therefore its more danagerous to deal with when using it as a structural component (esp. when you don't know squat about material sizing and design). I also stated my concerns about the thermal conduction&dimensional characteristics of carbon fiber (it can vary considerably based on the type of carbon fiber being used). A suppressor with a baffel stack and spacers tightly fitted to keep it from shifting could possibly expand and burst the tube longentudely on radially.

Has anyone here tried to use carbon fiber as the outside housing for a suppressor on a centerfire weapon? Any other novel material used?

[Tobi]

Yes,
take a look at this site:
http://www.ccfa.com/
and in the silencer test results. It have benn testetd by Mr. Silvers, but it seems a little bit louder than the aluminium alloy version. I think it depends on the lesser thermal cunductivity of carbon fiber.

[silencertalk]

I think it was louder because it had a .45 caliber exit hole. I don't think carbon would make it louder.

I guess I allow giant avatars.

[germansilencer]

Carbon fibre is troublesome because of heat keeping properties, And cans become too bulky when it must be as strong as a steel made can.

Experiments with a inlay material form nomex/aramid/kevlar-felt as spacers in washer type .22 silencers, results were unbelievably. Silence as with a -40 dB can, but with a few dollars effort (I have production permit).

[cbell]

If anyone would like, O can send them pics of the Integral Suppressed Carbon Fiber Barrels i make for 10/22's. My original has over 30,000 rds thru it with Zero issues. Carbon is an excellent Suppressor material if it is used by someone that knows the abilities and limits of its structure.
Chris Bell
CBEngineering

[Navy Gunner]

Hi,

I'm new to the board and would like to say hello to everone....

Was the barel completely carbon fiber or did it have a steel liner
which was housed the chamber and the rifling ?